John “The Doctor” Jochem

John “The Doctor” Jochem

It all happened one fateful night in July, 2004.
“The Doctor” was on holiday in Locarno, Switzerland, way from his home in suburban Chicago, Illinois, and was just returning from a mountain bike trip in the surrounding hills. Riding by the Luci ed Ombre Festival on the Locarno promenade, he heard the sounds of home—a band playing blues, country, folk and Southern Rock, among other styles. It spoke to him….so he decided to speak with the band—about sitting-in. The boys in the band were gracious enough to welcome him to the stage and it only took a few tunes to discover that The Acusticom Band and John “The Doctor” were musically “simpatico”. Since then John has performed with the Band on a regular basis—whenever he can find his way to the region—in venues large and small. Chicago is the home of the blues harmonica and The Doctor is schooled in the Chicago style of blues harp, having listened and played with many of the masters of Chicago blues. John keeps his chops by playing in and around the city and is featured yearly at the Chicago Blues Fest, but his favourite gigs are with his European friends in The Acusticom Band.